A thought about satellite contracts

[Louella]

The contracts usually say something like "build a satellite according to these specifications" and what orbit they want it in.

However. It's fairly easy to do something like, a stayputnik + antenna, and launch it for really cheap. Or to make 1 satellite to fulfil several contracts in one flight, by changing orbits.

Would it be better, if sometimes the contract gave you a prebuilt satellite, of varying mass, that you had to launch ?

I'm thinking things like, weather satellites, TV satellites, all sorts of other things.

And making custom satellite models could be a fun thing for the community to do - design-a-satellite competitions and so on.

Maybe the occasional grey-suited Kerbals with sunglasses saying "We need you to launch this, into this orbit. Don't look inside it."

[pincushionman]

I've thought the same thing myself, though instead of a pre-built satellite, you would need to carry up "mystery package D" which is picked in the Science tab from a random set of dummy part models, has random mass and power requirements, and is only available while that mission is active, and you need to design a satellite bus around it.

[cicatrix]

Yes, giving reason to the missions we perform would be a nice touch. Not only that - as a space agency I should receive a satellite then bring it to orbit needed and then pass control over it to the contractor. That's how it should be done and this also will eliminate the spamming sat contracts exploit.

[Carmoldu]

I also thought about this and I think it would be a great idea. This would prevent the 1-satellite launches completing multiple contracts problem as there would be a specific satellite for each orbit, as it has already been said. Also, this could lead to being able to actually fail a contract, as a limited number of satellites could be given to the player in order to carry out the contract and if all were lost due to failed launches, you would fail the contract (so there wouldn't only be contract failure due to exceeding the time limit).

[flashcactus]

Nice idea. I myself thought that the sat contracts would give me a subassembly that I have to launch. Turned out it's a lot simpler. (BTW, launching multiple small sats is usually significantly cheaper than one big sat that could change orbits)

[Slam_Jones]

Not a bad idea. Maybe require specific requirements "Probe must have [x type of anteanna] and [y amount of electric charge]." Make em a little different for a TV satellite, weather satellite, "spy" satellite, etc.

[Louella]

Not a bad idea. Maybe require specific requirements "Probe must have [x type of anteanna] and [y amount of electric charge]." Make em a little different for a TV satellite, weather satellite, "spy" satellite, etc.

That would be good, to increase variation within contracts.

though my thought about pre-built ones, was to allow mod-makers to design interestingly shaped satellites, as part of a regular community involvement, which could help get new players involved in mod-making. A chance to get your work incorporated into the game, and all that.

And there could be all sorts of amusing things. Like, a Soft Drinks company wants you to launch a satellite that's shaped like a replica of one of their bottles. Or a TV sports company wants one that looks like a sportball. And so on. As well as stuff like telescopes, university science projects, weather satellites and so on. As well as the occasional 40ton colossal spy satellite from the Kerbal Secret Service. What's in that satellite? That's on a need to know basis !